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Best value vintage tool watch movements

bromelia
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Hey OF,

I'm just starting to dip my toes in the deep waters of watch collecting. After lurking around OF for a while, I snagged a '67 Seamaster 600 (135.011) with the surprisingly solid 601 movement. It loses on average 6 seconds a day and has a healthy 40+ hour reserve. I wear this watch 90% of the time and have already vowed to immediately buy another 601 if god forbid something were to happen to this one.

However there are a few hours a week where I'd prefer to have something a little more water resistant on my wrist. So I went for a second hand SKX007 to wear on the water. The SKX is everything it's hyped up to be, just a great value watch. But the 7s26 movement leaves something to be desired. The reserve doesn't hold much more than 24 hours, it gains a fair amount of time, and I'd prefer to have the option of hand winding instead of shaking my watch like a lunatic every morning and evening.

So, my question is, what are you favorite, best value movements that can be found in vintage tool watches? They don't have to be from an old vintage, however I'd prefer to buy something with a few years under its belt. It doesn't need to be cheap (can you really beat the SKX on that front?), but a Sherpa or an Explorer are probably out of the question. So what do you think, OF?
 
zrleopold
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Vintage and water resistance don't always go together. Maybe something like one of the older Tudor Black Bay with an ETA movement. Very common and solid ETA 2824 movement, water resistant, and a vintage inspired aesthetic.
 
dsio
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The 601 is actually one of my favourites, by the time it was in use most of the cases were quite robust and water resistant, and since its more or less a very highly regarded Calibre 552 sans the auto winding system its an extremely durable movement, and being manual wind a lot of them have had far fewer miles put on them over the years than their automatic cousins. Its actually one of the best kept secrets in the Omega world as I keep finding them for under $150 and giving them to friends and family as gifts.
 
bromelia
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zrleopold zrleopold
Vintage and water resistance don't always go together.

Yes, that's a good point. I tell myself is that if I found the right watch, I'd spend a little more to have a watchmaker properly seal it... And then I'd have the only two watches I'd ever need 😉. But factoring the cost of that in, it may make sense to just look for a mid-range modern watch.

So I'm open to hearing about modern watches as well, but let's be honest, they're just not as sexy.
 
zrleopold
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bromelia bromelia
Yes, that's a good point. I tell myself is that if I found the right watch, I'd spend a little more to have a watchmaker properly seal it... And then I'd have the only two watches I'd ever need 😉. But factoring the cost of that in, it may make sense to just look for a mid-range modern watch.

So I'm open to hearing about modern watches as well, but let's be honest, they're just not as sexy.
Maybe a WatchCo Omega SM300 would be a good option. They are very attractive vintage divers assembled from NOS parts: https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-seamaster-300-watchco-your-thoughts-about-it.60998/
 
tyjosimo
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bromelia bromelia
Hey OF,

I'm just starting to dip my toes in the deep waters of watch collecting. After lurking around OF for a while, I snagged a '67 Seamaster 600 (135.011) with the surprisingly solid 601 movement. It loses on average 6 seconds a day and has a healthy 40+ hour reserve. I wear this watch 90% of the time and have already vowed to immediately buy another 601 if god forbid something were to happen to this one.

However there are a few hours a week where I'd prefer to have something a little more water resistant on my wrist. So I went for a second hand SKX007 to wear on the water. The SKX is everything it's hyped up to be, just a great value watch. But the 7s26 movement leaves something to be desired. The reserve doesn't hold much more than 24 hours, it gains a fair amount of time, and I'd prefer to have the option of hand winding instead of shaking my watch like a lunatic every morning and evening.

So, my question is, what are you favorite, best value movements that can be found in vintage tool watches? They don't have to be from an old vintage, however I'd prefer to buy something with a few years under its belt. It doesn't need to be cheap (can you really beat the SKX on that front?), but a Sherpa or an Explorer are probably out of the question. So what do you think, OF?

Go for a Vintage Heuer 1000 diver or super pro, you can get them in automatic or quartz. ETA 2824 if its auto and ETA 955.112 it its a quartz. They look really slick in the full size and are an awesome daily wear diver. I work on and sell these all the time and they are a joy in every way.
IMG_1414.JPG Heuer844-1.jpg
 
tyjosimo
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ChrisN ChrisN
Just saw this and happen to be wearing one of mine tonight! Very useful watch as you can wear it without concern. Not a Watchco as I built it but, same watch/idea.
sm300.jpg

Cheers, Chris

What do you mean by built it? Looks awesome!!
 
valkyrie_rider
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If you are talking about Omega calibers, I would include the Omega 1041 (featured only on the Speedmaster 125) and Omega 1045 (lemania 5100), featured on the Mark 4.5/V and 'grail' watches.
book.jpg c1045family.jpg
 
timestamp
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Lemania 5100/Omega 1045

Designed as a tool watch caliber from the start, parts are readily available, has a central chronograph minute hand which is awesome and not too common. Robust.

Omega models include the Speedmaster Mark 4.5 which is quite affordable and available.

It is also the ugliest caliber under the sun ever to have the luck to be hidden under a solid case back. No display backs with these for a reason 😁
Edited:
 
Willbur
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I would prefer to say that the 1045 has been designed for efficiency with cost reduction at a time where mechanical watches we're not only luxurious items.
 
ChrisN
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tyjosimo tyjosimo
What do you mean by built it? Looks awesome!!
I'm a watchmaker so have an unfair advantage but, just looking at your posts you clearly could assemble one if you had a serviced movement. You used to be able to get all the parts new except the movement. So, you bought a beaten up watch with a 552 (no date) or 565 (date) movement and then passed that to your watchmaker with about US$3000 and got back one of these. They used to be cheaper than that but the last one I built for a customer was over a year ago and that was the approximate cost. I haven't looked lately but I would be pretty sure that all parts are available with an authorized Swatch watchmaker and possibly still for any watchmaker.

They come up for sale occasionally as well but there can be some issues so, do research first.

Cheers, Chris
 
Tony C.
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Certina DS – great value, and their movements are as good or better than those found in other tool watches from the period..
 
fskywalker
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What about the Caliber 500 series, especially the 564 chronometer variant? The 751 (day date variant of same movement) is great too
 
Willbur
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Even if there is no direct central second i would agree for 5xx series as standard movement and add a 1040 for chronograph.
Outside Omega, Tissot 2481 are also very good movement
 
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